2017 / 2016
Vintage Port
Back-to-back declared vintages
"1945 was an almost identical season to 2017.
David Guimaraens, Taylor Fladgate (2017 vintage) “In my 25 years as a winemaker in our family vineyards, I have never seen a year like this.” Charles Symington, Head Winemaker (2017 vintage) “I consider these wines to be among the best that I have known during my time at Quinta do Noval,” Christian Seely, MD of Quinta do Noval (2017 vintage) |
"These are the best vintage ports I have ever made"
Charles Symington, Head Winemaker (2016 vintage) ‘The 16’s to be at least as good as 2003 and 2011.’ Christian Seely, MD of Quinta do Noval (2016 vintage) “The 2016s are likely to become rarities in future, particularly given the trend towards enjoying vintage Ports young." Adrian Bridge, MD Fladgate Partnership (2016 vintage) |
Not since 1873 has there been a universal Port Vintage declared two years running.
It's apparent that the quality of the 2017s are so good, that it was inevitable.
These are two vintages for the ages and should feature in any cellar
It's apparent that the quality of the 2017s are so good, that it was inevitable.
These are two vintages for the ages and should feature in any cellar
20172017 is only the second ever consecutive vintage to be declared by both Port houses - the Symingtons and the Taylor Fladgate Partnership. In fact, this is the first ever back-to-back declaration in the Symington's history and only the second in Taylor Fladgate's. Despite both great vintages being deemed worthy of declaration, they are both very different to one another.
The 2017’s have much more prominent, ripe fruit with massive complexity and very ripe, integrated tannins when compared to the altogether more classical 2016’s. The yields in 2017 are different too - the Symington's produced a third less than in 2016 whereas the Taylor Fladgate Partnership actually made slightly more wine than in 2016. |
2016A superb year for Port with the top families all declaring 2016 a vintage year. This was not the easiest of vintages but with all the risks came the ultimate reward. All the wines we tasted offer high quality with an attractive and often charming style unique to the terroir of each of the vineyards. It is rare to taste wines with such power and intensity yet easy to appreciate so young. These wines will be very enjoyable to drink after mid to long term cellaring.
The last declared vintage was 2011 and before that 2003. Yields in 2016 are smaller and a rise in demand will be sure to accelerate this vintage to new heights. |
Taylor’s 2017
£325 - case 6 Bottles, IB (10 cases) |
Taylor’s 2016
£295 - case 6 Bottles, IB (2 cases) |
£332.50 / case 12x37.5cl ; £325 / case 3 Magnums
£237.50 / Double Magnum (3L) ; £480 / Imperial (6L)
£237.50 / Double Magnum (3L) ; £480 / Imperial (6L)
Complex aromas of tar, wet earth, dark berry and flowers follow through to a full body, medium sweet and amazing compacted concentration. Vertical and so deep. It goes on for minutes.
Truly excellent. Better after 2027. 99 Points, James Suckling Deep purple. Dark-fruited, dusky, smoky, full of blackberry and blueberry fruit. Like a bottomless well of fruit, so deep and smooth. Power and polish to the densely layered but welcoming tannins, the power hidden by the fruit depth. As it opens on the nose, there’s a more wild elderberry character and more chocolate on the finish. Amazing length, the tannins creating a paradoxically dry, savoury finish. Even with all this exceptional fruit, it seems more corseted on the palate than some in this vintage. Fladgate MD Adrian Bridge suggested this wine had an aroma of orange blossom and he is right, but I am not sure I would never have identified it without his prompt. 18.5/20, JancisRobinson.com The 2017 Taylor's Vintage Port comes from their three quintas: Vargellas, de Terra Feita and do Junco, picking commencing at Vargellas on September 1, the earliest since 1945. Now this boasts a bold and more flamboyant bouquet vis-à-vis the Croft with layers of blackcurrant, blueberries, violet and allspice. Wonderful definition here and as it ratchets up through the gears with aeration manages to maintain impressive delineation. The palate is medium, rather full-bodied. The first impression is one of freshness, completely disguising that summer’s dryness and warmth, a disarming finesse built around the frame of tannins that would have been impossible years ago. It is a silky-smooth Taylor’s, one of the most polished 2017 Vintage Ports with energy and tension flooding through the finish. Aristocratic as ever, totally Taylor’s, yet still translating the growing season with aplomb. Total production is 11,500 cases. 98 Points, Neal Martin |
OMG. This is really the most amazing young Taylor's I have ever tasted. Full-bodied and lightly sweet with super power and intensity.
So racy and focused. Yet this has such muscle and intensity. Needs at least eight years to show you everything it has to offer. Drink in 2025. 100 Points, James Suckling Dark crimson but without the blueish purple of the Grahams. Tight, refined nose – rather claret-like. Not as obviously sweet as some. Restrained aromatically: backward with sharp, linear blackcurrant and violet notes. This tastes like a somewhat shouty, scratchy baby at the moment – which is no criticism of a wine designed to age as long as a vintage port. But then there are masses of sweet fruit with liquorice surrounded in a scratchy skein of tannins and acidity. Drink 2043-2070. 18/20, JancisRobinson.com |
Fonseca 2017
£320 - case 6 Bottles, IB (10 cases) |
Fonseca 2016
£295 - case 6 Bottles, IB (9 cases) |
£327.50 / case 12x37.5cl ; £320 / 3 magnums ;
£235 / Double Magnum (3L) ; £475 / Imperial (6L)
£235 / Double Magnum (3L) ; £475 / Imperial (6L)
Ripe and soft with loads of plummy, smoky and earthy character. Full body. Very sweet. Round and very soft textured. Flavorful finish. Drink in 2025 and onwards.
95 Points, James Suckling Deepest purple. Wild, perfectly ripe small black berries like elderberry but also the lush sweetness of ripe blackberries plus a stony, rocky edge and just a touch charry. Lush, plush and exotic on the palate, deep-pile, compact, smooth tannins, just enough freshness to balance the rich generosity. The finish is beautifully dry-tasting, the tannins melting on the long finish. 17.5/20, JancisRobinson.com Picking began at Quinta do Panascal on September 6, the two other quintas in Pinhão that form the 2017 Fonseca Vintage Port, Cruzeiro and Santo António picked on 10 and 17 September respectively. One of the deepest, most opaque color amongst the new Port alumni, it has one of the most backward, almost recalcitrant noses that demands a lot of aeration. It gradually opens to reveal blackberry, melted tar, thyme, clove and violet aromas that are well defined, if maybe just missing the same breeding as Taylor’s. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin. This is fresh and detailed, a slightly more structured Fonseca than expected, quite strict at first with good grip and a lightly spiced, precise finish. Powerful and long on the aftertaste, you can feel this Fonseca 60 seconds after the wine has exited. It deserves 10-15 years in bottle. Excellent, but patience required. The most enigmatic of the 2017 Vintage Ports. Total production is 8,100 cases. 95 Points, Neal Martin |
Lots of ripe fruit here with raisins and wet earth that turn to violets and hot stones. Full-bodied, tannic and powerful with fantastic grip and intensity. Grabs you. Impressive.
Drink in 2025. 98 Points, James Suckling Dark crimson with a slightly chestnut hue. Very much a cloud rather than a rapier on the nose – hedonistic and ripe with masses of sweetness almost masking a rigorous corset of tannins. You really taste the heat here – but in a very ripe fruit way, not in a hot spirit way. Drink 2036-2066. 17.5+/20, JancisRobinson.com |
Quinta Noval 2017
£300 - case 6 Bottles, IB (10 cases) |
Quinta Noval 2016
£310 - case 6 Bottles, IB (7 cases) |
Big grip in this wine with dark blackberries, blueberries and floral notes. Fine tannins.
Ripe but sweet and pretty. Shows a lovely finish. Try after 2027. 97 Points, James Suckling Black core with narrow purple rim. Beautifully scented with bergamot, very ripe black fruit and wild herbs. A savoury character, almost an umami note, adding complexity to the rich, spicy black fruit. Firm, dense, compact and all furled up on itself, with depth and richness but no excess weight. The impressive integration of the flavours means it is hard to describe the components separately. Fills the mouth and finishes long and chewy, with just enough freshness to balance. 17.5/20, JancisRobinson.com The 2017 Quinta do Noval Vintage Port was picked from August 21 to September 28 under perfect conditions. It has a tightly wound bouquet that requires a lot of aeration. Eventually it reveals fabulous, detailed aromas of cassis, bilberry jam, crushed stone and pressed violets, later hints of orange blossom and quince. The palate is pure class. Saturated tannins, wonderful structure but the headline is the intensity of fruit. I cannot remember a Noval with this penetration, almost overwhelming the senses as layers of effervescent black plum and cassis fruit segue into a spicy finish that fans out like there is no tomorrow. Is this the best Quinta do Noval ever? 97 Points, Neal Martin |
This is a superb baby Noval that reminds me of the 1966. Chewy yet so polished. The light sweetness suggests an overall dialing back of the sugar content. Stemmy and lightly green.
A truly classic Noval. Almost all from Pinhao. Buy. Better in 2025. 98 Points, James Suckling Very dark crimson. Rich and spicy on the nose. Juicy and succulent. A hint of something almost overripe. Heady and very definitely not uptight. Sort of sprawls all over the palate in a devil-may-care fashion. Lots of fun, though the tannins are by no means insistent. Oddly readable, but lots of fun. Drink 2030-2065 18/20, JancisRobinson.com |
Graham’s 2017
£330 - case 6 Bottles, IB (6 cases) |
Graham’s 2016
£310 - case 6 Bottles, IB (5 cases) |
£338 / case 12 Halves, IB (1 case)
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£310 / case 12 Halves, IB (2 cases)
|
Wow! Amazing aromas of crushed blackberry and blueberry, stems and rose petal. Entrancing.
Full-bodied, very tight and powerful with ultra-fine tannins. Intense richness of crushed berries, chocolate, hazelnut and coffee. 5,250 cases. Try after 2026. 97 Points, James Suckling Black core with narrow crimson rim. Glorious fruit intensity of tangy wild berries. Sweet elderberry and hedgerow and a touch of oaky/biscuit spice in the empty glass, dark chocolate. Immense concentration of pure fruit, deep layers of velvet, and yet the fruit is fresh. Fills the mouth with luxury. No dried-fruit flavours this year. Deep and endless fruit, the tannins are rich rather than powerful, deep and rounded, so smooth. Mouth-wateringly tangy finish. 18.5/20, JancisRobinson.com The 2017 Graham’s Vintage Port was picked from August 28 at Malvedos, though production is one-third less than the previous year. Here the Touriga Franca was particularly early ripening. It has an expressive nose, a mélange of red and black fruit, fig jam, dates and touches of clove, aromatics that are very seductive if perhaps just missing the intellectual capacity of the Dow’s. The palate is medium-bodied with very supple tannins, a gorgeous Graham’s with hints of espresso and cloves that tincture the multi-layered fruit that veers towards black rather than red towards the finish that fans out without a care in the world. This is perhaps one of the more flamboyant Vintage Ports that is likely to drink earlier than the Dow’s, yet that takes nothing away from what is a beautifully crafted Graham’s. Total production is 5,250 cases. 95 Points, Neal Martin |
Extremely complex aromas that show the classic Graham character of black-fruit marmalade and burnt oranges. Follows through to a full body with great grip at the finish. Lightly sweet. Chewy and powerful. Such a focus at the end.
99 Points, James Suckling All the Symington wines had exceptionally deep colours. This one has a particularly deep blackish-purple, still with a blueish hue. On the already-expressive nose I found prunes, something floral and a note of balsam, plus lots of freshness. Relatively open on the palate too. Rather elegant and the hugely sweet fruit almost covers a massive charge of silky tannins. This is almost like a sweet, tannic table wine. Pure and polished. Sweeter than most. One of those wines that some people might easily persuade themselves could be drunk relatively young, Satin Textured. 18/20, JancisRobinson.com |
Dow’s 2017
£330 - case 6 Bottles, IB (3 cases) |
Dow’s 2016
|
£338 / case 12 Halves, IB (1 case)
|
£310 / case 12 Halves, IB (2 cases)
|
Pure grape aromas that remind me of fermenting must but then goes to stems and dried flowers. Full-bodied, medium sweet with fine-grained tannins that coat your palate. Powerful and muscular yet remains agile and beautiful. Grows on your palate. Wonderful ripe fruit in the middle palate.
Try after 2030. 98 Points, James Suckling Black core with purple rim. Very different from the Stone Terraces just tasted, sweet and somehow more lifted as if more volatile. Hedgerow fruits on the nose, floral too, and again that real sweetness of fruit on the palate. Intense, firmly built but very generous in its sweet fruit character even if not analytically sweeter. Fine-grained but still grainy tannins with some hints of dried fruits on the finish. When I tasted this a second time on a different occasion, it seemed much fresher and more vibrant so I increased my score and lengthened the drinking window. 18/20, JancisRobinson.com The 2017 Dow’s Vintage Port showed a slight reduction and required more time to really open in the glass. Typical of Dow’s it has a more backward and introspective bouquet compared to its peers, scents of blackberry, clove, wild mint, cassis and vanilla, gradually gaining more intensity with aeration. The palate is simply glorious. It is built around a compelling tannic frame that seems finer than any Dow’s I have encountered apart from the ethereal 2011. There is so much energy coiled up in this Port, a sense of symmetry that is enthralling and yet you just know that it needs to be cellared for 15-20 years for it to reveal its full potential. For serious Port-lovers. One of the vintages most cerebral offerings. Total production is 5,250 cases. 98 Points, Neal Martin |
Aromas of blueberries, blackberries and dried flowers plus hints of slate follow through to a full body, very fine tannins and a driven and linear finish. Orange peel and dried fruit.
Sleek and racy. Ready to try in 2024 96 Points, James Suckling |
Quinta do Vesuvio 2017
£270 - case 6 Bottles, IB (2 cases)
£270 - case 6 Bottles, IB (2 cases)
Finished aromas of crushed berry, graphite and stone. Full body, very sweet with a tangy almost sweet and sour character. Distinct flavors of dried oranges and dark berries. Medium tannin structure. Very ripe yet fresh. Try in 2025.
95 Points, James Suckling Dark purple with purple rim. The fruit character is less wild here than in the Graham’s and Stone Terraces, more domesticated black fruit and yet just as pure and still with fine bergamot from the Touriga. Sweet baking spice on the palate leading in to highly textured tannins, as if the texture itself was spicy, but fine like layers of paper. Dense, packed with potential and less approachable than the Dow’s and Warre’s, less obviously sweet on the mid palate. But the long finish is sweet and utterly pure fruit. Wonderful persistence. 18.5/20, JancisRobinson.com The 2017 Quinta do Vesuvio Vintage Port was picked from August 28, the earliest on record and the Symingtons single out the Touriga Franca as the foundation of its quality for imparting all-important freshness. It has a fragrant and more floral bouquet compared to its peers, not as intense as either Warre’s and Cockburn’s with scents of blackcurrant, Medjool dates, raspberry preserve and raisin, well defined, although you are convinced that this Vesuvio is holding something back. The palate is smooth with lace-like tannin, very well judged acidity, quite powerful and dense with a voluminous black plum and blackcurrant finish with hints of espresso and mint. This is a fine Vesuvio although, it lacks the profundity of its peers in this vintage. Total production 1,200 cases. 92 Points, Neal Martin |
Warre’s 2017
£270 - case 6 Bottles, IB (3 cases) £276.00 / case 12 Halves, IB (1 Case)
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Warre’s 2016
£255 - case 6 Bottles, IB (3 cases) £255.00 / case 12 Halves, IB (2 cases)
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Loads of wet earth and grape aromas with hints of stems. Old vine aromas of bark and moss.
Full-bodied, sweet and structured with a big kick on the end. Very impressive. Exceptional layers of fruit and energy. A stronger and more muscular Warre. 3,600 cases. Try after 2028. 98 Points, James Suckling Ripe and pure black fruit, smells fresher than the Dow’s. Sweet blackcurrant tea and a touch of dark chocolate, like chocolate-covered fresh black cherries and blackcurrants. Becomes more floral as it opens, wilder, more exuberant. Chewy, chalky rather than grainy tannins. Deep and rounded and long with a dry-tasting finish. A generous, full-bodied whole. 18/20, JancisRobinson.com The 2017 Warre’s Vintage Port is made from some incredibly low yields, the Retiro vineyard cropped at a paltry 470 grams per vines. It has a very concentrated nose. This is higher-toned than the Cockburn’s with macerated black cherries, boysenberry jam, orange rind and a subtle eau-de-vie like element that becomes more pronounced with aeration. The palate is beautifully balanced and very well structured. This has tons of grip, a more masculine and assertive Warre’s compared to recent vintages. The acidity is extremely well judged with layers of black fruit laced with graphite and white pepper towards the prolonged finish. This will require a decade in the cellar to soften those tannins, but it will surely be worth the wait. 94 Points, Neal Martin |
Very complex with dried flowers and roses.
Full-bodied, very layered and tightly wound. Chewy and powerful. Firm and off-dry. Needs five or six years to soften. Beauty. Try in 2024. 96 Points, James Suckling Not quite as deep-coloured as Dow and Graham but almost! Very dark blackish crimson. Strongly aromatic with balsam notes. Smells as though this would be just the job with roast lamb somehow – in the same way as a redcurrant jelly. The acidity seems more marked than its grand stablemates Dow and Graham. Racy and sinewy. Drink 2035-2060. 17.5/20, JancisRobinson.com |
Symington Collection Case 2017
£565 - case 6 Bottles, IB (2 cases)
£565 - case 6 Bottles, IB (2 cases)
Only 500 individually numbered cases (6x75) have been produced for their global markets,
with only a fraction of these allocated to the UK.
Each case contains 1 x 75cl bottle of each:
Graham, Graham The Stone Terraces, Dow, Cockburn, Warre & Vesuvio 2017
Graham, Graham The Stone Terraces, Dow, Cockburn, Warre & Vesuvio 2017
Croft’s 2016
£235 - case 6 Bottles, IB (3 Cases) |
Smith Woodhouse 2016
£170 - case 6 Bottles, IB (1 case) |
Extremely perfumed with dark-berry and currant aromas. Hints of earth and spices. Full-bodied, round and medium sweet. Hints of resin.
Opulent yet restrained. Shows ripe and beautiful fruit with clarity. Try in 2025. 97 Points, James Suckling Blackish mid crimson. Mild, ‘agreeable’, friendly nose. Sweet and lightly spicy. Then the thread is drawn and it’s much drier on the end. Fairly early maturing compared with the greats, I would have thought. Without massive density. Drink 2030-2050. 16.5/20, JancisRobinson.com |
This is extremely floral with dark fruit and plum character. Full-bodied,
very tight and focused. It's a complete young vintage Port that is great from start to finish. Rio Torto fruit makes this great! Better in 2022. 96 Points, James Suckling That super-deep Sym crimson again. Very luscious, appealing nose. Smooth and sweet, a sort of cadet to the big guns initially but then freshness and polished tannins (masses of them) kick in. Rather inky, almost bitter on the end. Leathery. Drink 2033-2055. 17+/20, JancisRobinson.com |
All prices are In Bond (Excluding duty & Vat), wine available once shipped ex Vine, LCB, Tilbury – delivery to be charged at cost